Archives for February 2003

'"And then when I saw how the team struggled early in the season after sending me down, I just kept waiting for the call back up to Buffalo. And I also knew that I was going to have to play my best hockey to stay here. So that's what I've tried to do. I really thought I deserved to be on the team."

'Insiders have said that a new owner would have to pay more than $50 million cash for the franchise – to pay off all the debts, satisfy Adelphia Communications Corp.'s creditors and repay the team's current operating expenses since the team sought bankruptcy protection.'

'And it was annoying to many – this page included – that he seemed to be trying to jam a stick into Hamister's spokes as the local man tried to nail down a deal that would work for him. Indeed, the sense that he was placing his interests over those of this community may have contributed to the frigid reception he received here.'

'The Panthers had a chance to win the game when Curtis Brown slashed Mathieu Biron at the 20-minute mark of the third period. That gave the Panthers a two-minute 4-on-3 to start the OT, but Biron's brother, Martin, turned the Panthers away.'

'Before Monday's game against Buffalo, Lilja, acquired from the Los Angeles Kings with Jaroslav Bednar for Dmitry Yushkevich in November, was a plus-20, tied for 14th in the NHL, sixth among defensemen. Plus-15 of the plus-20 had come in 35 games with the Panthers.'

'Repeating the trend that has plagued them at home all season, the Panthers fell behind twice and needed a goal by Jaroslav Bednar with 2:06 remaining in regulation to salvage a 2-2 tie with Buffalo in front of just 11,944 at the Office Depot Center.'

'“We'll get through the season. That's what we've said. That's what the balances show,'' Sabres vice president of finance John Marsh said Monday after appearing before a creditors meeting at the U.S. Trustees office in Buffalo.'